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Energy use, blue water footprint, and greenhouse gas emissions for current food consumption patterns and dietary recommendations in the US

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  • Michelle S. Tom

    (Carnegie Mellon University)

  • Paul S. Fischbeck

    (Carnegie Mellon University)

  • Chris T. Hendrickson

    (Carnegie Mellon University)

Abstract

This article measures the changes in energy use, blue water footprint, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with shifting from current US food consumption patterns to three dietary scenarios, which are based, in part, on the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines (US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services in Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, 7th edn, US Government Printing Office, Washington, 2010). Amidst the current overweight and obesity epidemic in the USA, the Dietary Guidelines provide food and beverage recommendations that are intended to help individuals achieve and maintain healthy weight. The three dietary scenarios we examine include (1) reducing Caloric intake levels to achieve “normal” weight without shifting food mix, (2) switching current food mix to USDA recommended food patterns, without reducing Caloric intake, and (3) reducing Caloric intake levels and shifting current food mix to USDA recommended food patterns, which support healthy weight. This study finds that shifting from the current US diet to dietary Scenario 1 decreases energy use, blue water footprint, and GHG emissions by around 9 %, while shifting to dietary Scenario 2 increases energy use by 43 %, blue water footprint by 16 %, and GHG emissions by 11 %. Shifting to dietary Scenario 3, which accounts for both reduced Caloric intake and a shift to the USDA recommended food mix, increases energy use by 38 %, blue water footprint by 10 %, and GHG emissions by 6 %. These perhaps counterintuitive results are primarily due to USDA recommendations for greater Caloric intake of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and fish/seafood, which have relatively high resource use and emissions per Calorie.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle S. Tom & Paul S. Fischbeck & Chris T. Hendrickson, 2016. "Energy use, blue water footprint, and greenhouse gas emissions for current food consumption patterns and dietary recommendations in the US," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 36(1), pages 92-103, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envsyd:v:36:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1007_s10669-015-9577-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10669-015-9577-y
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    1. Buzby, Jean C. & Farah-Wells, Hodan & Hyman, Jeffrey, 2014. "The Estimated Amount, Value, and Calories of Postharvest Food Losses at the Retail and Consumer Levels in the United States," Economic Information Bulletin 164262, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
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    4. Wisdom Dogbe & Cesar Revoredo-Giha, 2021. "Nutritional and Environmental Assessment of Increasing the Content of Fruit and Vegetables in the UK Diet," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, January.
    5. Archer, Edward & Marlow, Michael & Williams, Richard, 2017. "Government Dietary Guidelines: Uncertain Science Leads to Questionable Public Health Policy," Working Papers 06868, George Mason University, Mercatus Center.
    6. Alexi Ernstoff & Qingshi Tu & Mireille Faist & Andrea Del Duce & Sarah Mandlebaum & Jon Dettling, 2019. "Comparing the Environmental Impacts of Meatless and Meat-Containing Meals in the United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-14, November.
    7. Libor Ansorge & Lada Stejskalová, 2022. "Water Footprint as a Tool for Selection of Alternatives (Comments on “Food Recommendations for Reducing Water Footprint”)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-8, May.
    8. Daesoo Kim & Ranjan Parajuli & Gregory J. Thoma, 2020. "Life Cycle Assessment of Dietary Patterns in the United States: A Full Food Supply Chain Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, February.
    9. Davod Ahmadi & Kate Sinclair & Narges Ebadi & Gabrielle Helal & Hugo Melgar-quinonez, 2017. "Major References for Learning About Healthy Eating: Differences Between Canadian Anglophone and Francophone Men and Women," SAGE Open, , vol. 7(2), pages 21582440177, May.
    10. Rehkamp, Sarah & Canning, Patrick, 2018. "Measuring Embodied Blue Water in American Diets: An EIO Supply Chain Approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 179-188.
    11. Lei, Lei & Shimokawa, Satoru, 2020. "Promoting dietary guidelines and environmental sustainability in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    12. Sonali Shukla McDermid & Matthew Hayek & Dale W. Jamieson & Galina Hale & David Kanter, 2023. "Research needs for a food system transition," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(4), pages 1-15, April.

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